1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the field of clutching mechanisms, and, in particular, to a combination ball bearing/freewheel clutch.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A freewheel clutch is a device that will drive a rotating load in one direction, but will allow it to freewheel or spin at any speed in the other direction. There is a need to make a more compact and rugged freewheel clutch. All current designs need separate devices to support the rotating load on the shaft and to have the shaft drive this load. Current techniques are called ratchet and pawl, wrap spring, sprag, roller clutch, ball clutch, tilting plate, and so forth. Each of these prior art devices needs the addition of some bearing device to support the driven load when it is in the freewheel mode.
Typical of the prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,771, which discloses a one-way clutch bearing having an outer race with an annular inner surface, an inner race with an annular outer surface corresponding to and concentric with the inner surface, and rolling members disposed in an annular space formed between the inner surface and the outer surface, whereby relative rotation of the inner and outer races in one direction is prevented by displacement of the rolling members in the space and a torque is transmitted. A holding means for holding the rolling members is provided at a displacement position whereat the rolling members transmit a predetermined transmission torque, and means is provided for decreasing a wedge angle at a position before the rolling members arrive at the displacement position.